Mast Failure

What type of mast is it? Aluminium, carbon? For which boat? 

I'm seen carbon bowsprits fail like that. My *theory* is that when the load comes on the spar its flattened and forced very slightly oval, which then has a tendency to cause cracks between adjacent fibres as the matrix fails. Then of course its a weak point and propogates. The one's where I've seen it happen seem not to have an outer and inner 45/45 oriented layer of fibres which keeps the matrix together. So if this happened on a carbon spar I'd wonder if it were a similar machanismn going on - spar forced oval by side loads etc.

So the repair would I've done with the sprits - I've done a couple of them. Glue the longitudonal fibres back together and then reinforce outside and inside with fibres at 90 degrees to keep it together. If you can't get inside then more outside would be better than nothing.

Edited by JimC

I believe this is a common mode of failure for tubes in bending.  I've seen a Laser 4000 rack begin to go the same way.

Possibly overheating in the container causing degradation of the epoxy in the 49er pole (I'm assuming they have composite poles not alu!)

I think the temps in containers can get unbelievably high, esp when you are going somwhere nice and warm like Dubai! Did the container stand on the dock for days after unloading?